all your perfect imperfections
by splendidlyimperfect
Summary: Sting can't sleep, and the only way to fix it is a 3am trip to the grocery store. / **Part of 'i'm with them' series, see profile for links**


It's nearly three in the morning when Natsu is kicked awake by Sting shuffling around under the blankets.

"Babe," Natsu whispers sleepily, rubbing his face and glancing over at the clock. "'s middle of the night."

Sting stills a bit, not responding, then cuddles up to Natsu, wrapping one of Natsu's arms around his waist. Natsu hums contentedly, twining their fingers together, and slowly starts to fall back asleep.

Fifteen minutes later Sting is shifting again, twisting in Natsu's embrace and pushing away the blanket.

"Wha's matter?" Natsu asks, yawning and pushing himself up on one elbow. The lights that they'd never bothered to take down after Diwali illuminate the room with a soft glow, and Natsu watches Sting bury his face in the pillow, mumbling something incoherent.

Natsu sighs, poking Sting in the ribs. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?"

Sting's been off the last few days – quieter, softer, more withdrawn. Natsu's made sure to cuddle him more, to kiss his forehead more often and tell him that he loves him. Rogue baked Sting's favorite cookies, and Gray spent the afternoon watching _Friends_ with Sting, even though he usually pokes fun at Sting for liking it.

"'s nothing," Sting says into the pillow. Natsu sighs, glancing over at the other two. They're curled up together, tonight, which is unusual – usually they each take ends of the bed on either side of the octopus tangle that is Sting and Natsu. Rogue's wrapped around Gray's back, breaths moving the hair on the back of Gray's neck, arm tucked around Gray's stomach.

"C'mon, what's wrong?" Natsu slides down until he and Sting are face-to-face and pulls the pillow away, kissing Sting's nose and sliding their hands together. "Why can't you sleep?"

"'s stupid," Sting insists, refusing to look at Natsu. Natsu combs his fingers through Sting's hair.

"Promise I won't laugh," Natsu insists. Sting sighs, rolling onto his back and looking up at the ceiling.

"I can't stop thinking," he says finally.

"About…?" Natsu nudges him gently and Sting lets out a loud breath.

"The avocado." The words come out in a rush and he groans, letting go of Natsu's hand and bringing both hands up to cover his face.

"The…" Natsu frowns, puzzled. "You mean at the grocery store?"

"Mm." Sting sighs, trying to roll away from Natsu. "Told you it was stupid."

"Why are you thinking about an avocado?" Natsu asks, tugging Sting back toward him. He's trying not to laugh like he promised, but the heartbroken look on Sting's face softens his expression and he runs his fingers down Sting's cheek. "What's wrong, sweetheart?"

"It was all… lumpy and ugly, and nobody wanted it," Sting says, so softly that Natsu can barely hear him.

"A… a lumpy avocado?"

"Mm."

There's silence for a minute as Natsu slowly starts to realize what Sting's talking about.

"It just seemed… sad," Sting says eventually. He wipes his eyes and rubs his face on the pillow again. "What if it's lonely 'cause nobody bought it?"

Natsu can't help a soft laugh at that, but it's a laugh of affection and not a mocking one. "Babe, it's an avocado," he says gently.

"I knowwww," Sting groans, cheeks flushed pink with embarrassment. "'s stupid, go back to sleep."

A flood of endearment runs through Natsu and he leans over, kissing Sting's cheek. Sting loves broken things. Gray has a collection on his desk at work of little trinkets Sting's found – a ceramic rabbit with one ear, a coffee mug with a chipped handle that says Trotno instead of Toronto, a tiny stuffed cat with one leg a different color, replaced with help from Beatrice next door.

Gray's most cherished possession is one of those silly stuffed bears with a heart between its hands, with dark stitching down the center of its heart where a rip had been. Sting had given it to him when things had been rough with a note that said _just because something is broken doesn't mean it can't be put back together._ Chad had tried to make fun of it once, and Gray had nearly broken his nose.

"Go get your shoes on," Natsu says, sitting up and stretching. Sting looks up at Natsu uncertainly, and Natsu nudges him. "Go on, get a jacket. It was the twenty-four-hour place, we can go see if it's still there." Sting opens his mouth and Natsu shakes his head, tugging the blanket back and poking Sting in the ribs. "Go."

Sting sighs, sitting up and pulling Natsu into a hug before sliding out of bed. Natsu moves to leave too and Rogue stirs, blinking at Natsu blearily from behind Gray.

"'s wrong?" Rogue asks, voice thick with sleep as he looks at the clock. "Y'kay?"

"Mm." Natsu leans over and kisses Rogue's cheek. "Sting saw an ugly avocado today."

"Ah," Rogue replies, kissing Natsu back and quickly falling back asleep.

* * *

The supermarket is deserted except for the two of them, and Natsu feels like he has to whisper as they wander through the produce section. They're both wearing sweatpants, and Sting's hair is mussed up in an incredibly endearing way.

When Sting finds the avocado, he looks like he might cry. "See, I t-told you nobody wanted it," he said, grabbing it and holding it against his chest. It is ugly – lumpy and discolored and easily looked over.

 _"You_ did," Natsu says softly, grabbing Sting's hand and kissing his cheek. Sting's eyes dart around the produce area and he looks hesitant until Natsu adds, "go find all of them."

Twenty minutes later they're at the till, paying fifty-seven dollars for three bags full of the ugliest fruits and vegetables Natsu has ever seen. Sting looks happy, though, and that's all that matters. The cashier gives Sting a strange look, but before he can say anything, Natsu raises his eyebrows and mouths _don't you dare._

When they get back to the car, the clock reads 5:37am. Natsu's not tired anymore, and when they pull out of the supermarket parking lot, he turns and heads down to the park instead of home.

"Where're you goin'?" Sting asks, curling up in the seat with his knees to his chest. He rubs his eyes and Natsu could melt at how adorable he looks.

"Wanna watch the sunrise," Natsu replies.

They pull through the Starbucks drive-thru – luckily, they're not the only people awake at this hour – and by the time they arrive at the park, the sky is a muted rainbow of colors stretching up from the horizon. They settle on one of the benches, Sting tucking himself under Natsu's arm, and watch the sun stretch up between the buildings, pulling pinks and purples and oranges along with it.

"You're wanted," Natsu says quietly as the park begins to fill with people – early morning joggers and dog-walkers and tourists. Sting stills against him and Natsu kisses his head. "I love you. We all do."

Sting doesn't say anything, but Natsu can feel a faint tremor in his shoulders. He pulls Sting closer and rests their heads together, sipping his coffee as the sunlight burns away the last of the fog and wakes a new day.

* * *

When Gray wakes up, he finds a bag on the kitchen counter, filled with ugly avocados, limes, lemons, a miniature watermelon, six oranges, and a container of hummus with a dented lid. Inside is a receipt for fifty-seven dollars.

"Are you kidding me?" he grumbles, tossing the fruit into a bowl and making his way into the living room. "What the hell did they-"

He stops short, irritation disappearing completely as he sees Natsu and Sting curled up on the couch. Natsu is sprawled back against the armrest, arm wrapped around Sting, who is tucked under Natsu's chin with a happy smile on his face.

"That's a lot of fruit," Rogue comments, wrapping his arm around Gray's waist from behind. Gray hums in agreement, leaning back as Rogue presses a kiss to his neck.

"He looks so happy," Gray sighs fondly, tugging Rogue over to the couch and settling down next to Sting, who mumbles a bit in his sleep and reaches out his hand to entwine his fingers with Gray's. "And if that costs fifty-seven dollars in lumpy avocados, that's fine with me."


End file.
